philanthropyOz Blog

PhilanthropyWiki Launch

Last week Sydney and Melbourne we held our annual end-of-year get-togethers for Philanthropy Australia Members. We also took this opportunity to launch the major knowledge management and ICT project we’ve been working on for the past two years - the PhilanthropyWiki.

The Macquarie Group Foundation funded the development of the Wiki (and in fact, the entirety of the Knowledge Bank project, of which the Wiki is a component), and also most generously hosted the events in both Sydney and Melbourne. Julie White, Head of the Macquarie Group Foundation, officially launched the Wiki, speaking alongside Philanthropy Australia’s Bruce Bonyhady (our President) and Gina Anderson (our CEO).

Both events had an excellent turnout, and feedback from Members on both nights indicated not only a good deal of excitement about the Wiki, but enthusiasm with regards to contributing to and shaping the Wiki. This was great feedback, as enthusiasm is a key factor required as we move into the next, crucial stage in the Wiki’s evolution - out of development and into operation!

We’re also planning on running some information and possibly tutorial sessions in 2008 for Members who wish to contribute, or even just need some pointers on how to best use the PhilanthropyWiki. We’re planning on gearing those sessions for a variety of skill levels and needs.

As a part of the Resource Centre team who developed the PhilanthropyWiki, I’m sure I speak for everyone at Philanthropy Australia when I say I’m immensely proud of this project, and having the opportunity to present it to our Members in a launch was wonderful. Working on the PhilanthropyWiki has taught us not only a lot about the knowledge it will contain and how our constituents wish to access and share it, but a lot about how we, as a not-for-profit, use technology.

Macquarie Group Foundation’s support of the entire Knowledge Bank project gives us great confidence in our ability to help build capacity in the not-for-profit sector using ICT. Even as I type this we are discussing in the office with great relish the potentials the PhilanthropyWiki has opened up not only for us, but for the entire philanthropic sector in how we use technology, shares knowledge and accesses information.

We’re very much looking forward to working on populating the PhilanthropyWiki now with our Members, and beginning work on the next components of the Knowledge Bank in 2008 with renewed confidence.

If you’d like to read the official press release for the PhilanthropyWiki launch, you can download it here.

- Emily Turner, Web & Communications Administrator, Philanthropy Australia